US stocks slip as oil prices tumble; Starwood surges

US markets are edging lower as falling oil and gas prices drag energy companies down.

Travel-related companies are rising in midday trading today after a consortium led by China's Anbang Insurance Group offered to buy Starwood Hotels.

Starwood shares are up 7 per cent.

Energy and materials companies led decliners in the Standard & Poor's 500 index as the price of oil fell 4 per cent.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 17 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 17,195 as of 11:55 a.M. Eastern time.

The S&P 500 fell 6 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 2,015.

The Nasdaq composite fell 3 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 4,745.
 

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.94 per cent.